Sunday, August 31, 2008

Didn't CozyKitty from Ravelry do a great job on my teacup and saucer pattern? She was kind enough to allow me to post her photo here. She shared a comment from her 4-year-old, too and it's so nice, I had to print it here, of course!!!

my kids pretty much ignored the teacups while i was knitting them (since they don’t look like much at that point)

but the very minute i had them up on the counter drying… they were all over them (the handles had not even been sewn on yet)

my 4 year old son said “teacups - can i play with them mommy!”

She also discovered a neat tip when knitting the bottom:

I thought the pattern was very easy to knit - here’s my tip

first you start the cup knitted back and forth and then after a few rows you start knitting in the round - this leaves a hole. I found that if i picked up my cast on tail at this point and knit along with it it closed the hole and wove in my cast on tail at the same time!!!

Anyways - very easy to knit and my kids love them. I will probably make lots more out of leftover yarns

Friday, August 22, 2008

Lunch time was never this fun! Tuck this little guy in your lunch bag when you head back to school this year. Click here for the free pattern from The Pattern Box. It's also available for free as a Ravelry download. If you decide to knit him, please let me know! As always, if you have any problems, please email me.

Look at this great felted fish that a fellow Ravelry user has knit from my free felted fish pattern!

It's a lovely goldfish! Thank you so much for sharing the photo!

Another fellow Ravelry member has finished this gorgeous felted teapot from my knitted/felted teapot pattern! I just love the way the middle and the handle turned out the same color. Isn't it wonderful?

I thank both fabulous knitters for allowing me to post their photos. If anyone has knit any of my patterns, and you'd like to share your photos on my blog, please email me. I'd love to show them off!I have just finished my (dare I say the words) Back to School free pattern for Teacher's Pet Apple, which is a knitted/felted apple with a little worm poking out. If I can manage it, I'll post it all tomorrow (Wednesday) ... things have been so hectic here of late, particularly regarding my elderly parents. Please keep us in your prayers.

As an aside ... I have finished a black cat and ghost for Halloween ... and am almost finished with a pumpkin person, but not quite ... and a raven. All four patterns should be up and available at The Pattern Box and on Ravelry soon. I'll be sure to let you know! I think they're quite fun and I hope you will, too!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Years ago, I promised myself I would never, no NEVER, EVER knit a sweater. You see, the thing is, I really like to knit toys. I went this route because after knitting scarves and bags, cell-phone carriers and even a beret (that took a long time), most of the recipients NEVER, EVER used the things I knit. I don't know where they've put them, but I've never seen them use them. After awhile of this, I decided I would not knit useful items anymore. I would concentrate on toys that would make me feel happy and silly (even in the most stressful and sad and scary moments of my recent life's journey). I promised myself the one thing I would NEVER make would be a sweater ... which always seemed to take an incredible amount of yarn (which means making a major investment) when I could easily purchase a sweater (already made) at any particular store, for about one-third of the cost.

Now that I'm working at the yarn store, I realize I've put myself into the center, yes, the very soul, the core, the hub, the brain, if you will, of sweaterland. The employees, the customers, I venture to guess even the package carriers, all knit sweaters. They bring in their pattern books. They swoon over yarns. They giggle over stitches. They show the photos of new things to me. Oh, they were sneaky, all right. They'd bring in their finished pieces. Nay, they'd wear them, even, showing off their handiwork.

THEN, the terrible day happened when I was shown a sweater pattern that I fell in love with. At that moment, I knew I had fallen. I had slipped over onto the dark side. I knew I had to join SWEATERLAND and knit one. That one. Would you like to see which one it is? Which sweater made me order 15 hanks of yarn??

Mummble-Jummble2 was one of those blogs "mistakenly" marked as spam the other day! YIKES! I know I ramble sometimes, but I didn't think I've ever really been that repetitive! Anyhow, I really only like Spam when it's fried. And I haven't had that since I was in kindergarten ... which, well, was a really, really long time ago. (In the '60s, if you must know). So I am publishing two posts on the same day with totally different topics because I was blocked from my blog the other day. (Until it was determined I was not spam.)

Now that we've established that I'm not spam, I'll move along with my real post! Which is to say that there are a few new developments in my life! I am now working part-time at my local yarn store ... I'm flattered the owner has such confidence in me, as I haven't worked for pay for a LONG, long time. Having been employed as a writer and not a salesperson, this should prove interesting! However, I do LOVE yarn and needles and felting and anything fibery and so I hope I will be able to fulfill her trust in me! The past week, I worked almost every day while the store is conducting inventory. I never knew there could be so many buttons in one tube! Also, when asked to roll a hank of yarn into a ball, I needed help! *sniff* I really have shown myself to be quite inept! Yet, I am not too proud to shout out for assistance!!! HELP!Hopefully the learning curve will be over soon.

Please Don't Steal

I have shared photos and patterns of the projects I come up with for you to use, free of charge, but I ask that you do not post the photos or the patterns anywhere without my name and/or my permission. These projects are all intended for your own personal use only... not commercial or otherwise for sale!

Maggie Our Bearded Collie

About Me

I was a writer/columnist ... who became a stay-at-home mom ... who morphed into a homeschooling mom ... who took up knitting while waiting for my children at chess tournaments ... and caring for my elderly parents. I opened my online shop, http://www.thepatternbox.com in 2008. (Check it out for more of my designs!) Leisure Arts published "Storybook Dolls to Knit," my book of walkabout puppets, in 2011. My newest adventure: A grandson!